8 Back-to-School Resolutions You Should Make This Fall

It’s official: summer is over and the school year is in full swing. All around the country, high school and college students have returned to their classes, are getting back in the swing of an academic routine, and have even started to study hard for some exams. Although saying goodbye to summer and all the freedom it afforded was hard, the new school year brings the element of possibility, and the chance to learn new and exciting things. It’s a fresh start, much like the changing of the calendar year during the holidays, and you shouldn’t feel saddened by the new year, but instead invigorated. With that, here are eight solid resolutions that you should consider making this fall to ensure that you have the best year ever.

1. Eat breakfast

We know, it can be really tough to think about eating breakfast when you’re trying to get out the door before the sun has come up. But science has repeatedly shown that eating breakfast will result in better learning. One study found that a higher percentage of breakfast eaters passed a biology exam, as opposed to the non-breakfast eaters. If you’re really opposed to eating first thing in the morning, make sure you have something on hand for when you get to school – or try something easy, like a breakfast bowl.

2. Make a bullet journal

Bullet journals are all the rage. They are eye-catching, aesthetically pleasing, and endlessly productive. You don’t need to be a writer or an artist to make a great one. Bonus: having a bullet journal will help draw your attention to the things on your to-do list that perpetually remain un-done.

3. Socialize with someone new

It’s easy to become comfortable with the same group of friends, but it’s always a good idea to branch out. Sometimes the greatest of friendships can come from unexpected circumstances. This should be the year that you talk to the new girl in school, or sit with a different table at lunch. You never know what could happen!

4. Step out of your comfort zone

As with your social cliques, it’s understandable that you might become content with your routine. But studies have shown that journeying outside of your comfort zone and trying new things result in a higher level of happiness – and a sharper mind. So maybe this is the year you join a new club or try a new sport. It might be daunting at first, but you will be glad that you did later.

5. Don't procrastinate

Procrastination is the enemy of students of all ages. We spoke with a few high school and college students about ways they’ve combatted procrastination. Lila*, a sophomore at New York University, recommended breaking big deadlines into smaller ones. “If you have a paper that’s due on a certain date, give yourself smaller deadlines,” she said. “Like, assign yourself a deadline for an outline, and another one for a rough draft. Even if your teacher didn’t give you dates for those things, give them to yourself.” Ben*, a senior in high school, suggests telling other people about your goals. “If you say it out loud, you have to do it.” he explained.

6. Find time to workout

Seriously. Even if it’s just for 15 minutes. In fact, American University of Antigua has a list of ways you can work out and study at the same time – like doing chair squats while you memorize vocabulary words. Additionally, the CDC has published multiple studies that reveal that exercise has a positive effect on the way your brain learns.

7. Curb your splurges

We know that budgeting is hard, especially with all the fall items on the market. It’s easy to wind up over-spending at college, so make sure you head into the new year with a budget, and take advantage of the resources at your school as well. Nicole*, a junior at Harvard University, cut an unnecessary $100 from her monthly budget when she started limiting how often she ate out. “It’s tough especially when you live so close to a city like Boston with so many food options,” Nicole explained. “But I started eating on campus more often and found that I saved a ton of money.”

8. Embrace the present

No matter whether you are in high school or college, you’ll look back one day and realize how fast it all really goes. Right now it may feel like school lasts an eternity (and sometimes one class period alone might feel that way), but eventually, your high school and college years will become a memory. The graduates we spoke to all agreed that, in retrospect, it’s all gone very fast. “Hold onto it all, even the boring moments,” advised Jaq*, who graduated from Rice University in 2014. “You’ll miss the most unexpected things someday.”